Trailing blade striping apparatus

ABSTRACT

Coating apparatus of the trailing blade type which includes means for providing a coating to a surface of a continuous web, in which the coating consists of one or more stripes thereof. Each stripe may be relatively wide or relatively narrow. The coating material may be of the hot melt type, in which the coating material is solid at normal room temperature and is a liquid only at temperatures considerably above room temperature. The coating material may be of the solvent type or of the water emulsion type, or which is a liquid at normal room temperatures and in which a drying process removes a vehicle from the material and a solid coating remains. A thin flexible shield which engages selected portions of the web is disposed between the trailing blade and the web to prevent coating of the web in the portion thereof which is engaged by the shield.

(mite ttes Patent Gabbard 1 Feb. 1, 1972 [54] TRAKLING BLADE STRIPiNG 3,461,841 8/1969 Marchese et al ..118/413 APPARATUS 3,484,279 12/1969 Clark et al. ..l 18/413 X 3,486,441 12/1969 Hillman et al ..1 18/213 X [72] Inventor: Henry Gahbard, Xenia, Ohio [73} Assignee: The Standard Register Company Hume Assistant Exammer-Roger L. May P 10, 1969 AtrorneyWilliam R. Jacox [21] Appl. No.. 815,115 ABSTRACT 52 u.s.c1 ..1l8/406 117/44 117/120 cming apparatus the blade type which infiludes 118/407 means for providing a coating to a surface of a contmuous 51 Int. Cl. ..B0s 3/02 BOSc l/l6 in which mating 1 of F i strip [58] Field 0: Search ..117/37 43 44 43 111 H Each F be 117/120 118/213 406 2 row. The coatlng material may be of the hot melt type, In

which the coating material is solid at normal room tempera- [56] References Cited ture and is a liquid only at temperatures considerably above room temperature. The coating material may be of the solvent UNITED STATES PATENTS type or of the water emulsion type, or which is a liquid at normal room temperatures and in which a drying process removes 1,71 1,948 5/1929 Jones ..1 18/406 a vehicle f the material and a Solid coating remairm A thin 2,855,895 10/1958 Bums et 18/407 flexible shield which engages selected portions of the web is 2,893,314 7/1959 601:6 101/118 disposed between the trailing blade and the web to prevent 61/ coating of the web in the portion thereof which is engaged by artme the shie 3,384,525 5/1968 Herbert et al.. 156/494 X Id 3,421,455 l/1969 Werner 107/1 12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB I 3 838 608 54 INVENTOR 58 I HENRY GABBARD 62 I BY W L? 7? :7 mm

A TTORNE Y TRAILING BLADE STRIPING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many types of business forms or the like it is desirable or necessary to have one or more stripes of a coating, such as a stripe of transfer material, for example, carbon material, or a stripe of magnetic material, or a stripe of some other material.

Several methods or processes of striping of coating material have been employed. However, most of such processes are relatively expensive and not capable of the application of various types of coating materials.

So far as is known, prior to this invention striping of a web has not been performed in a trailing blade method of coating.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide trailing blade type of coating apparatus capable of the application of various types ofcoatings in the form of stripes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of coating of stipes by the use of a tailing blade coating apparatus, which may be either of the pond or inverted type.

It is another object of this invention to provide such apparatus and method which are relatively low in costs.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of the invention, combinations thereof, th method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing striping apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2 and showing a portion of a web coated by the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of other striping apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 5 and showing a portion of a web coated by the apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus of this invention is used in applying coating material to a continuous web. FIGS. I and 2 show a continuous web 16 which extends over an auxiliary roll or drum 18 which also extends over a main roll or drum 20. Adjacent the main roll or drum 20 is an elongate container 24 which has an elongate thin flexible coating blade 26 attached thereto and extending substantially the length thereof. The flexible blade 26 serves as part of the container 24 to contain a liquid therewithin, as shown in FIG. 2. A portion of the web 16 extends between the blade 26 and the main roll 20, as the blade 26 urges that portion of the web 16 into engagement with the main roll 20.

The container 24 has therewithin a quantity of liquid coating material 30 as the container 24 and the blade 26 contain the liquid 30. The coating material 30 may be a material which is solid at normal room temperatures. In such event, the roll 20, the blade 26, the container 24 and the coating material 30 retained thereby are maintained at a temperature considerably higher than normal room temperature. Such coating material solidifies following application to a portion of the web 16 and following movement of that portion of the web from the roll 20. The coating material 30 may be a material which is a liquid at normal room temperatures and which, after application to the web 16, dries by removal of water or another solvent therefrom.

One or more shields or strips 31 of very thin flexible material are positioned between the blade 26 and the web 16 adjacent the main roll 20. The shields or strips 31 may be made of any suitable material, such as a metal material, a plastics material, or any one of numerous other materials. It has been found that a satisfactory thickness for each strip or shield 31 may be in the order of 0.0005 to 0.010 inch. However, a strip or shield 31 having a thickness dimension somewhat greater or less than 0.0005 to 0.010 inch may also be satisfactory. Each strip or shield may be of any suitable width, as desired. Each shield or strip 31 is, preferably, supported by an upper shaft 32 and a lower shaft 34. Each strip 31 is shown as having a portion thereof wound upon a spool 36 which is attached to the upper shaft 32 for rotation therewith. Each strip 31 has a portion thereof extending from its respective spool 36, along the web 16 in firm engagement therewith, and to a spool 38, which is attached to the lower shaft 34. A portion of each strip 31 is wound upon its respective spool 38.

During movement of the web 16, the rolls or drums l8 and 20 rotate in the directions illustrated by arrows 40 and 42. Thus, the web 16 moves from the roll 18 to the roll 20 and then from the roll 20 to the right, as illustrated by arrows 44. Due to the fact that the coating material 30 within the container 24 is in a liquid state, a portion of the coating material 30 flows upon portions of the web 16 which are adjacent the blade 26 as the web 16 comes into engagement with the coating material 30. However, each strip 31, as it is in firm engagement with the web 16, prevents contact of that portion of the web 16 with the coating material 30. Thus, each portion of the web 16 which is engaged by a strip or shield 31 is not coated by the coating material 30. Thus, the coating material 30 is applied to the web 16in the form of one or more stripes 48, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Due to the fact that each strip or shield 31 is maintained in very firm engagement with the web 16, wearing of the strip or shield 31 may occur as a result of the frictional forces involved in the movement of the continuous web 16 with respect to each strip 31. In order to avoid severance of a strip 31 by wearing thereof, each strip 31 has a portion thereof unrolled periodically from its respective spool 36 and a portion thereof wound upon its respective spool 38. Thus, successive portions of each strip 31 are moved into engagement with the web 16, while the strip 31 is maintained in firm engagement with the portion of the web which is adjacent the blade 26. Thus, even though wearing of the strip 31 occurs, severance thereof does not occur.

FIGS. 47

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate other apparatus of this invention, in which a continuous web 50 is moved by an auxiliary roll 52 and a main roll 54.

A container 56 is positioned adjacent the main roll 54. A thin flexible coating blade 58 is attached to the container 56 and has a longitudinal edge extending toward the main roll 54. A thin flexible shield or sheet 60 is positioned between the blade 58 and the web 50. The shield or sheet 60 is supported and retained in position by any suitable means, not shown, and is, preferably, retained in a curved shape, somewhat complementary to the arcuate surface of the roll 54, adjacent thereto. The sheet or shield 60 has one or more openings or slots 62 therein. Each slot 62, preferably, has a converging upper end portion 64. The blade 58 is shown in engagement with the shield or sheet 60 adjacent the converging upper end portion 64 of the slot 62, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The flexible coating blade 58 engages the web 50 only at positions in which the blade 58 extends through the slots or openings 62. Thus, as coating material 66 is disposed within the container 56, the coating material 66 flows through each slot 62 and engages the web 50 for the coating thereof. The converging upper end portion 64 of each slot 62 helps to minimize spreading of the coating material 66 beyond the width of the slot 62. Thus, as the web 50 is moved in the manner illustrated, a stripe 70 of coating material 66 is applied to the surface of the web 50 at each portion of the web 50 which passes an opening or slot 62.

Each slot 62 may be of any desired width so that a stripe 70 of coating material 66 formed upon the web 50 is of any desired width.

SUMMARY Apparatus of this invention is used to apply one or more stripes of coating material to a continuous web. The coating material may be either of the hot melt type or of the solvent type. The width of each stripe of coating applied to the web may be as desired.

The invention having thus been described, the following is claimed:

1. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising a roll supported for rotation on its axis, means for directing the web at least partially around the roll, means defining a chamber extending axially adjacent the roll and transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, said chamber defining means including a coating blade extending transversely of the web, thin flexible shield means positioned between said blade and the web on said roll and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said shield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves with said roll, and said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves with the roll.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means supporting said shield means for movement relative to said coating blade to prevent excessive wear of the portion of said shield means being slidably contacted by the web.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said shield means comprise an elongated shield strip, and means for moving said strip longitudinally while positioned between said blade and the web.

4. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising a roll supported for rotation on its axis, means for directing the web at least partially around the roll, a container extending axially adjacent the roll and defining a chamber extending transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, a coating blade secured to the container and extending transversely of the web, thin shield means extending between said blade and the web on said roll and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said shield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves with said roll, said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves with said roll. and means supporting said shield means for movement relative to said coating blade to prevent excessive wear of the portion of said shield means being slidably contacted by the web.

5. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising means defining a support surface for the web, means defining a chamber extending adjacent said surface and transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, said chamber defining means including a coating blade extending transversely of the web, thin flexible shield means positioned between said blade and the moving web on said surface and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said shield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves, and said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves on said surface.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said shield means comprise a sheet of thin flexible material and having at least one slot therein to define said gap.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said slot has a converging end portion positioned above said coating blade.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said blade is sufficiently flexible to project into said gap toward the web.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the shield means comprises an elongate strip.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which a first rotatable spool supports a portion of the elongate strip as a portion of the strip encompasses the spool, a second rotatable spool supporting a portion of the strip as a portion of the strip encompasses the spool, the spools being spaced from the web, a portion of the strip being disposed between the first spool and the second spool and in engagement with the web, the elongate strip being adjustably movable in a direction from one spool to the other spool as a portion of the strip is unwound from one spool and as another portion of the strip is wound upon the other spoolv 1]. The apparatus of claim 9 in which a pair of spaced-apart rotatable spools support the elongate strip, the strip having portions in the form of at least one convolution encompassing each of the spools so that a part of the strip may be unwound from one spool as another part of the strip is wound upon the other spool.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the shield means is in the range of between 0.0005 inch to 0.010 inch in thickness. 

1. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising a roll supported for rotation on its axis, means for directing the web at least partially around the roll, means defining a chamber extending axially adjacent the roll and transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, said chamber defining means including a coating blade extending transversely of the web, thin flexible shield means positioned between said blade and the web on said roll and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said shield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves with said roll, and said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves with the roll.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means supporting said shield means for movement relative to said coating blade to prevent excessive wear of the portion of said shield means being slidably contacted by the web.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said shield means comprise an elongated shield strip, and means for moving said strip longitudinally while positioned between said blade and the web.
 4. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising a roll supported for rotation on its axis, means for directing the web at least partially around the roll, a container extending axially adjacent the roll and defining a chamber extending transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, a coating blade secured to the container and extending transversely of the web, thin shield means extending between said blade and the web on said roll and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said sHield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves with said roll, said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves with said roll, and means supporting said shield means for movement relative to said coating blade to prevent excessive wear of the portion of said shield means being slidably contacted by the web.
 5. Apparatus for applying at least one stripe of coating material to a continuously moving web of flexible material, comprising means defining a support surface for the web, means defining a chamber extending adjacent said surface and transversely of the web for receiving a supply of liquid coating material, said chamber defining means including a coating blade extending transversely of the web, thin flexible shield means positioned between said blade and the moving web on said surface and defining at least one gap having a width substantially less than the width of the web and corresponding to the width of the stripe, said shield means being slidably engaged by the web as the web moves, and said blade being effective to apply a stripe of coating material to the web within the gap as the web moves on said surface.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said shield means comprise a sheet of thin flexible material and having at least one slot therein to define said gap.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said slot has a converging end portion positioned above said coating blade.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said blade is sufficiently flexible to project into said gap toward the web.
 9. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the shield means comprises an elongate strip.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which a first rotatable spool supports a portion of the elongate strip as a portion of the strip encompasses the spool, a second rotatable spool supporting a portion of the strip as a portion of the strip encompasses the spool, the spools being spaced from the web, a portion of the strip being disposed between the first spool and the second spool and in engagement with the web, the elongate strip being adjustably movable in a direction from one spool to the other spool as a portion of the strip is unwound from one spool and as another portion of the strip is wound upon the other spool.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 in which a pair of spaced-apart rotatable spools support the elongate strip, the strip having portions in the form of at least one convolution encompassing each of the spools so that a part of the strip may be unwound from one spool as another part of the strip is wound upon the other spool.
 12. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the shield means is in the range of between 0.0005 inch to 0.010 inch in thickness. 